I grew up in Kosovo in the 1990s, living through the horrors of the wars that accompanied the disintegration of Yugoslavia. During my youth many schools were closed and a large part of my studies were in basements of private houses where sacked teachers continued to work for free. Surviving the war shaped my life, teaching me to take responsibility for my choices and the consequences that followed. It made me think of risk-taking in business in a different way to most people, helping to put things into perspective.

After the end of hostilities there was an international initiative that brought education programmes to Kosovo. I was lucky enough to be part of a course run by Hyper Island, a progressive business school that uses experiential learning to prepare people for today's digital economy. I vowed to make the most of my education and help those who had suffered, using my knowledge of the digital world to set up and drive educational and diplomatic projects to help social and economic development in my homeland.

Saved by the bell

Study has been key to my development. At Hyper Island we weren't sat in a classroom and lectured "at" – instead, we worked on real projects with real clients and learned by doing. Our first project was helping to digitise the library of the British Council and, by doing so, solve the myriad technical and organisational problems that came with it.

It was a demanding way to learn but far superior to the traditional methods I was used to. It felt like diving in at the deep end but knowing you had the support around you to stop you drowning. Learning focused on the "why" as much as the "how" and "what".

When I finished studying I set up an online tool, Trajnimi, which provided free educational classes for people, helping to build digital literacy in Kosovo. Over 70% of Kosovo's population is under 30 and it's vital we have the skillset to fit the modern world. The programme was a success and is now part of the national education programme.

The programme raised my profile in the digital world and was a great springboard for me. In the past decade I've worked in and founded enterprises all across Europe; such as projects in telecommunications and clean-tech in Vilnius and Berlin respectively.

In 2013 I created Digital Kosovo, a government-backed initiative to improve Kosovo's recognition and inclusion on the world wide web. While Kosovo is recognised by most of the EU and the US, among others, countries such as Serbia, Russia and China do not recognise it. As a result, Kosovo often falls through the digital cracks of the internet and is often not included as a country option in apps, websites and e-commerce platforms. Digital Kosovo looks to challenge that by bringing together an online community to lobby for global recognition.

Back to school

For many, formal education is something that takes place in the early years of life and is left behind entirely when the world of work beckons. I take a different view: I believe learning is a lifelong thing. While we do learn so much on the job, there is a huge benefit in formal study.

For this reason I recently returned back to Hyper Island after 10 years. I know the chance to work with new industry pioneers, experts and students from all backgrounds on the latest trends and developments will be invaluable to my growth as an entrepreneur.

For example, 10 years ago the focus of my course was on deploying products, how to build them and how to get them to market. The consumers we were building for then were a lot less digital savvy and had far less choice. Now the customer experience is at the core of everything and design and user-experience is centre stage. Going back to school means I learn about that – it helps me to stay ahead of the game, giving me a competitive edge.

Learn, learn and learn again

Coming back to study has been so refreshing and eye-opening I've promised myself I will do this every 10 years.

The very process of removing yourself from the work environment and placing yourself into a formal course helps give you the bigger picture and push you into places you might not normally try to go to, which is something entrepreneurs should always welcome.

If I could pass on a few tips they would be:

• Education is for life – remember that for both you and your staff• We don't have all the answers – sometimes we need to simply go for it• Don't stay in your comfort zone – look for opportunities and grab them• Ask "Why?" as much as "How?" and "What?" It will make you much more adept at solving problems• Constant feedback and reflection can help to gain deeper self-awareness and make you a more effective leader

Kushtrim Xhakli is an entrepreneur – find out more about his work here and follow him on Twitter @xhakli